WEDNESDAY’S BEST PICKS
8 PM & 89th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center The lighting of the giant Christmas tree in New York’s Rockefeller Center is the traditional capper to this annual special, hosted this year by “Today” co-anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin. The 2021 tree is a 79 feet tall, 45 feet wide Norway Spruce weigh
CSPN FNC MSN BSN BSUN ESPN ESP2 FS1 GOLF
AMC
HBO
HBO2
FLIX
FXM
MAX
MMAX
SHO
SHO2
STRZ
STZENC
TCM
TMC ing about 12 tons, from Elkton, Md. Before the switch gets flipped, illuminating more than 50,000 multi-colored lights, the two-hour special features performances by Brad Paisley, Alessia Cara, Harry Connick Jr., Carrie Underwood, Norah Jones and the Radio City Rockettes’ among others.
8PM G Beebo Saves Christmas After Sprinkles (voice of Chris Kattan), an elf totally obsessed with efficiency, becomes convinced Christmas would run a lot more smoothly without Santa Claus (voice of Ernie Hudson), Beebo (voice of Ben Diskin) and his friends make a journey to the North Pole to investigate and determine what it is exactly that makes this holiday so magical in this new animated special. The voice cast also includes Kimiko Glenn, Yvette Nicole Brown, Keith Ferguson and Victor Garber.
8PM (LIFE) MOVIE Match Made in Mistletoe Washington, D.C.based interior designer Emily Barnes (Natalie Lisinska) is ecstatic when one of the foreign embassies in the city hires her to decorate for their annual holiday ball. Unfortunately, newly appointed ambassador Magnus AndersMoore son (Damon Runyan) has tastes that favor minimalism, a choice that clashes with Emily’s own style. Despite that hurdle, Emily’s unbridled passion for the holiday season soon starts to thaw the young ambassador’s heart in this 2021 romance.
8PM (HBO) MOVIE Adrienne Filmmaker Andy Ostroy celebrates the life and career of his late wife, actress and filmmaker Adrienne Shelly, who was murdered in late 2008, shortly before her film “Waitress” opened to widespread acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival. Ostroy draws extensively from intimate home videos and archival footage to deliver this deeply emotional portrait of Shelly, who also left behind their 2-year-old daughter, Sophie, at the time of her death. Interviewees include “Waitress” stars Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines and Jeremy Sisto, along with many other friends and colleagues.
8:30 PM * The Wonder Years In the new episode “Home for Christmas,” Dean (Elisha “EJ” Williams) is practically vibrating with excitement over the prospect of spending time with his big brother Bruce (guest star Spencer
(3:30) U.S. House of Representatives (N) (Live) (cc)
Special Report FOX News Primetime (N) Tucker Carlson Tonight (N) The Beat With Ari Melber The ReidOut (N) (Live) (cc) All In With Chris Hayes (N)
Inside Magic Pregame NBA Basketball Denver Nuggets at Orlando Magic. (N) (Live)
Sports Stars Florida Under Lights Pregame MLB Baseball SportsCenter (N) (Live) (cc) (7:15) College Basketball Teams TBA. Daily Wager (N) (Live) (7:15) College Basketball Teams TBA. (N) (Live)
Undisputed College Basketball Central Michigan at Xavier. (N) (cc) Golf Central (cc) GOLF Films (cc) (5:30) Fred Claus ★★ (’07) Vince Vaughn. Santa’s ne’er-do-well brother puts Christ- mas in jeopardy. ‘PG’ (cc) Curb Your Enthu- Land ★★ (’21) Robin Wright. A grieving woman retreats to the
siasm wilds of the Rockies. (6:15) The Queen ★★★ (’06) Helen Mirren. Queen Elizabeth II and Tony Blair struggle over a tragedy. ‘PG-13’
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World ★★★ new girlfriend’s exes. (s) ‘PG-13’ (4:55) The Expendables ★★ (’10) Sylves- (6:50) The Expendables 2 ★★ ter Stallone. ‘R’ Jason Statham. ‘R’ (cc) (5:35) Cinderella Man ★★★ (’05) Russell Crowe. Down-and-out boxer Jim Braddock makes a dramatic comeback. (5:18) Hard Rain ★ (’98) Morgan Freeman. ‘R’ (cc) (5:30) Scary Movie ★★★ Wayans. ‘R’
City Slickers 2
II, “All American”) when the latter comes home from Vietnam. Unfortunately, readjusting to life in 1960s-era Montgomery, Ala., poses some unexpected challenges for the returning soldier.
10 PM & Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around Kelly Clarkson freely admits she’s a complete Christmas junkie, going so far as to feature a recurring segment called “Ambush Christmas” on her syndicated daytime talk show. Now, the Grammyand Emmy-winning music superstar celebrates the release of her new holiday album with this festive special featuring new original songs as well as iconic yuletide classics, plus dancing and collaborations with special guests. Among those scheduled to appear are Ariana Grande, Brett Eldredge, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Odom Jr., Jay Leno and Amy Poehler, plus a certain beloved North Pole personality.
10 PM (FXX) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 15 opens with two back-to-back episodes, picking up the action with “2020: A Year in Review,” in which the main characters reflect on the pandemic-imposed chaos of
(cc)
The Ingraham Angle The Last Word Under Lights
(9:15) College Basketball Michigan at North Carolina. (9:15) College Basketball Wisconsin at Georgia Tech. (N) Texas Tech at Providence. (N) (cc)
Golf Central (cc) Four Christmases ★★ (’08) Vince Vaughn. A couple must somehow fit in four holi- day visits with family. ‘PG-13’ (cc)
Adrienne (’21) Andy Ostroy. Premiere. The life and work of actress and filmmaker Adrienne Shelly. (s) ‘NR’ (cc)
Succession “Too Much Birthday” (s) (cc)
College Basketball
Politics and Public Policy Today Hannity (N) (Live) (cc)
The Rachel Maddow Show
Postgame
Hard Knocks: Colts
(9:45)
We’re Here
Pleasantville ★★★ (’98) Tobey Maguire. Two ’90s teens are transported into a 1950s TV sitcom. (s) ‘PG-13’ (cc) (’12, Action) Sylvester Stallone, (8:45) The Expendables 3 ★★
an old associate. ‘PG-13’ (cc) Sunshine Cleaning ★★★ (’08, Comedy-Drama) Amy Adams. (s) ‘R’ (cc) (6:55) Hart’s War ★★ (’02) Bruce Willis. A law student defends a murder suspect in a Nazi POW camp. ‘R’ (cc) Scary Movie 2 ★ (’01, Comedy) Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans. Premiere. ‘R’ (cc) Gamer ★★ (’09, Action) Gerard Butler, Michael C. Hall. Premiere. (s) ‘R’ (cc)
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle ★★★
Hart. (s) ‘PG-13’ (cc) (5:10) At Any Price ★★★
Quaid. ‘R’ (cc)
The Barkleys of Broadway ★★★
quarrels and breaks up. ‘NR’ (cc) (4:55) Dances With Wolves ★★★★
the Lakota. (s) ‘PG-13’ (cc)
(’10) Michael Cera. A slacker contends with his
(N)
Sports Stars
Breaking that year. As they do so, they realize they contributed far more to the ongoing havoc than they could have imagined. Then, in “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 7,” the gang is shocked to discover their “unofficial” sequels to the “Lethal Weapon” movies have been pulled from their local library. Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day and Danny DeVito star.
GOLF Films (cc)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation ★★★ D’Angelo. ‘PG-13’ (cc)
Hard Knocks: Colts (10:45) A Walk Among the Tombstones ★★ (s) ‘R’ (cc)
“Grand Junction, Colorado” (s) (cc)
(10:55) Axios (11:25) The Normal (s) (cc) Heart
(’98) Ryan Phillippe. A young blue-collar man
(10:05) 54: The Director’s Cut ★★ discovers the ’70s disco scene. (s)
(’14, Action) Sylvester Stallone. Barney Ross brings in new blood to fight
Gutfeld! (N) (cc)
The 11th Hour
World Poker
Postgame Rays SportsCenter W/Van Pelt
(11:15) Baseball Tonight (N)
NFL Presents NFL Presents
(’89, Comedy) Chevy Chase, Beverly
(N)
(’14) Liam Neeson.
(11:05) The Expendables 2 ★★
Sylvester Stallone.
(9:32) Golden Arm (’20, Comedy) Mary Holland, Betsy Sodaro. (11:05) Drumline ★★★
(s) ‘NR’ (cc) ‘PG-13’ (cc)
Spartan ★★ (’04, Suspense) Val Kilmer, Derek Luke. Special-operations agents (10:47) Brothers by Blood
investigate slave traders. ‘R’ (cc) Schoenaerts.
(’03, Comedy) Anna Faris. Premiere. ‘PG-13’ Grindhouse Presents: Death Proof ★★★ (’07, Suspense) Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson. Premiere. ‘NR’ (cc)
Road House ★★ (’89, Action) Patrick Swayze. A legendary bouncer agrees to tame a notorious gin mill. (s) ‘R’ (cc)
(10:07) Sicario: Day of the Soldado ★★
Brolin. (s) ‘R’ (cc)
The Thing ★★★★ (’82, Horror) Kurt Russell. A polar research station is invaded by an alien life form. (s) ‘R’ (cc)
Gaslight ★★★ (’44, Suspense) Charles Boyer. A diabolical husband tries to drive his wife insane. ‘NR’ (cc) (DVS)
Nebraska ★★★ (’13, Drama) Bruce Dern. A man sets out on a road trip with his ag- ing, ornery father. (s) ‘R’ (cc)
Scary Movie 3 ★★ (cc) (8:05) Reindeer Games ★★ to rob a casino. ‘R’ (cc) (8:03) The Equalizer 2 ★★ (’18) Denzel Washington. Robert McCall fights assassins to avenge his friend’s death.
(6:58) Charlie’s Angels (’19) Kristen Stewart. The Angels must retrieve a weapon of mass destruction. ‘PG-13’ (cc)
(’49) Fred Astaire. A pair of Broadway performers
(’00) Shawn
(’12) Dennis
(’17, Adventure) Dwayne Johnson, Kevin
(’90) Kevin Costner. A Union officer befriends
(’00) Ben Affleck. An ex-convict is involved in a scheme
(’12)
(’02) Nick Cannon.
(’20) Matthias
(’18, Suspense) Benicio Del Toro, Josh
(10:52) Big Trouble in Little China ★★ (’86) Kurt Russell.
Casablanca ★★★★ (’42, Drama) Humphrey Bogart. Nazis, intrigue and romance clash at a Moroccan nightclub. ‘PG’
Boy ★★★ (’10, Comedy-Drama) James Rolleston. Premiere.
(s) ‘NR’ (cc)
Falling ★★ ‘R’ (cc)
(’20)